Plug connecter



. Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE mm L. srnoneson, or BROOKLYN, AND BERNARD niconnn, or-nnw YORK, 11. Y,

PLUG commons.

I Application filed .rui 6, 1923. Serial No. 649,394.

This invention relates to electric plug connecters or push plug receptacles and the like, and in particular it relates to structural improvements therein designed to reduce the number of parts and cost of manufacture thereof, and which provides a highly useful prong type plug connecter. v

Primarily an object of the invention is to produce an electrical plug connecter of few parts, one which is strong and durable in 'con-' struction, and in which the metal contact parts comprise'simple structure in the form of single one piece stampings blanked from sheet metal, and in which no screws, or soldered, or riveted connections are employed inassembling the connecters or in fastening them in the body of the plug,

This improved plug connecter converts a sin le electric outlet receptacle into a plural out et receptacle whereby more than one electrical appliancemay be attached to and received current from a single wall outlet, and

it fulfills the need felt for an inexpensive electrical attachment to render more convenient as well as extend the range of uses as respects electrical appliances from a single current supply outlet.

T e accompanying drawings illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Wit is understood'that certain changes in construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention; and to illustrate the principle of our invention we have shown a prong type or jack blade connecter, thoughit is to be understood that a screw plug connecter may as well be manufactured in accordance with the principles of our invention. Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the plug conductor; and Figure 2 shows an end view thereof.

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, the section plane passing through the rings which hold the body parts of the device together as well as passing through the concealed blades of the stamped conductor parts; and the insulation body parts are shown in elevation because the section line passes between the two juxtaposed mating body portions.

Figure 4illustrates a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an inside face view of one body.

section to illustrate the ribbed, grooved, and

pierced or hollow socketed design thereof with the contact partremoved.

Figure 6 illustrates a perspective viewof the assembled position of the two stamped sheet metal conductors spaced apart, and with the body removed so as to clearly illustrate the structure of the two'conductors; and a fragment of stamped sheet fibre insulation or a spacer sheet is interposed between the prongs or jack blades acting as a frame to hold the'jack blades in rigid spaced relation.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the aforesaid fibre spacer used between the jack blades. The plug-in connecter essentially comprises a pair of co-operating body parts made of molded insulation material with juxtaposed faces made hollow or cored and molded out with channeled, grooved, and socketed spaces for the reception of the conductor blades. The structure of the two body parts is somewhat similar, and improved stamped sheet'metal conductors are placed between the body parts with metal rings spun over the beads on each end of the body to firmly join together the structure without the aid of screws, solder, or rivet-connections.

The two body parts 8 and 9 are molded with hollow portions or sockets 10 which are pierced by receptacle channels 11 running out through each end of the body part, and upon the joinder of the body sections the plug-in receptacle channels 11 register and thus form end openings to receive the blades of appl'ances plug connecters which are to be attached to this device, as well as provide depressions or sockets 10 in the nature of suitable clearance spaces for the concealed contact blades forming part of the device as well as provide flexing clearance space for the reception of the jack blades of co-operating plugs which are/inserted into this connecter through the end channels 11.

A lengthwise rib 12 is preferably moulded in each section 8 and 9 which spaces ofi and separates each concealed blade; and similarly a transverse rib 13 is made in the body parts 1 which provides stock or material through which is moulded or otherwise formed the blade retaining grooves 14, as well as the jack blade retaining groove 15 out through which the prongs or jack blades extend. One jack blade groove 15 is made in each body section and receives its respective prong or jack blade 18 together with the insulation sheet spacer 21; and the two prongs with the spacer snugly fill the registering retaining grooves so that the resulting structure is locked in place without the use of a screw. One of the blade retaining grooves 14 in each section 8 and 9 may be extended somewhat into one of the sockets 10 and thus provide an extra deep locking groove, if need be, for the reception of the shoulder 17 where such shoulders are employed.

The structure of the metal conductors is shown in Figure 6 wherein the above mentioned stamped sheet metal part 15 ismade with rounded over ends 16 adapted-to make contact with the prongs or blades of co-operating plug connecters which are thrust into this connecter through the channels 11. A shoulder or car 17 is formed on the side of part 15, and an'upstanding blade or prong 18 is integrally formed with and stamped on the-ear, and extends right-angular from the blade. The two conductors are stamped from sheet metal preferably spring brass and are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The prongs 18 are bent or turned up from the ear portion 17 and the ear possesses considerable spread or sufiicient area as will cause it to be completely embraced by the wall of the molded retaining lock groove 14. It is to be observed that the two internal contact blades 15 are anchored in their respective retaining grooves one above the other in parallel relation, while the prongs 18 extend rightangular from the straight simple constructed blades. The prongs 18 constitute means for engagement, mechanically and electrically, with acurrent supply outlet to feed current to both ends 16 of the blades 15. Our improved contact blades are composed of simple one piece structures whereas it is usually necessary in constructing electrical fixtures to make rivet or. screw connections.

The adjacent edges of the jack blades are notched, as indicated at 20, and a stamped fibre sheet insulator or spacer 21 is interposed between the upstanding jack blades under the notches thereof and thus, being interlocked, serve as a brace to hold the jack blades apart in rigid relation; and the spacer may be constructed with an extension 21 in the form of a hook which reaches around one blade 15 and extends downwardly to the other blade 15 as shown in Figure 4 thus em-' duce a solid body of insulation substance to prevent current leakage, yet at the same timeprovide a plug body simple to mould and easy to assemble.

The two brass parts constituting the plurality of contact blades, as in this case having six contact ends, are disposed within the body orshell 89 of the plug by positioning one conductor part in their respective retaining grooves, and thus the blade ends 16 rest within the hollow sockets 10 in alinement with the plug-in receptacles 11. The shouldered portion 17 is placed within the deep groove 14 corresponding in size and shape in the insulation part 8 or 9 and the jack blade correspondingly lies in the transverse groove 15, thus firmly holding the two metal parts in the body. The stamped fibre part 21 is now placed in the groove on top of one of the jack blades under the notch whereupon it is locked in place and the two assembled sections 8 and 9 are brought together. Though it is not in every respect essential to employ the shoulder 17 and correspondingly deep retaining groove 14 extending into the socket 10, this structure may well be used by reason of the fact that one end of each blade 15 may thus be rendered substantially rigid or stiffer in sliding contact with jack blades of plug conneetersto be inserted through the channels 1.1, while the end of the companion blade is entirely free from engagement with the body part and somewhat longer as to its flexible portion there by allowing it to flex, bend, or spring under slight pressure of a co-operating jackblade plug-in connecter. This arrangement of one partially rigid blade and one flexible blade provides a positive anchorage for each metal stamping, yetat the same time permits one of the blades to be free and flexible.

The transverse rib 13 ordinarily provides fsuflieient stock in which to form the retainmg grooves 11 and accordingly both ends of the parallel companion blades 15 may be flexibly disposed within the sockets 10 and central portion of the blades 15 rigidly anchored in the grooves 14, and thus in some cases the shoulders 17 may be made very small or can possibly be dispensed with, though it may remain an advantage, as in the manufacture thereof, to retain the shoulder 17 as a basis for making the blades 18 and 15 integral in construction and at the same time cause these blades to be off-set from teach other and stand in right angular rela- As a means of holding the assembled parts together, rings 22 are pressed over each end and spun down thus effectively joining the juxtaposed parts together with the metal contacts therebetween producing a substantial and durable plug connecter.

What we claim is:

1. A plug connecter. comprising a body of molded insulation longitudinally split form ing two sections, which sections are made with the aforesaid plug-in channels, and prong or jack blades joined with the aforesaid blades and retained in the aforesaid grooves and affording electrical and mechanical engaging means with a current supply outlet.

a 2. In a plug connecter,'.two body parts each of which are made with a grooved and socket structure, conductor parts disposed between the body parts and rigidly held *centrally thereof in the groove with the blade ends thereof projecting into and free to flex in the aforesad socket, integral jack blades projecting from the body, and an insulation sheet spacer fitting between the jack blades, and

standing parallel to and in the same plane with said blades acting to hold them rigidly against the body parts, and assembly means ing prong prongs to hold the blades apart and fill the space thereinbetween.

versely of the sections also separating the hollow portions and plug-in channels, said transverse ribs made with retaining grooves therein, metal conductor blades disposededgewise in the retaining grooves and anchored therein at their centers with the blade ends flexibly projecting into the aforesaid .hollow portions and in alignmentwith the aforesaid plug-in channels, and means integral' with the said blades for establishing mechanical and electrical connection with a current supply outlet.

6. A plug connectercomprising a body, concealed parallel contactblades carried in the body, a partof each blade bent over and away from the blade to form an integral prong part thus affording upstanding parallel jack blades, and a sheet insulation spacer placed edgewise between each upstandand abutting the edges of the In testimony whereof we affix our signatures this 21st-day of June, 1923, in the county of New York, city of New York, and State of New York.

- HERMAN L. STRONGSON.

BERNARD D. COLEN.

for clamping the body parts together. against the contact blades which serves to anchor the sheet spacer in position. 3. A plug-in electrical connecter comprising mating body sections each end of' which is provided with an internal hollow socket and groove structure, a pair of parallel contact blades rigidly held at their centers by the said grooves and having the free flexing Y ends thereof located in the sockets, said body made with plug-in channels leading into the sockets toward the free flexing blade ends, 1

rigid jack blades integral with the contact blades and projecting from the body, and a sheet spacer inserted into the groove between the jack blades.

4. A plug connecter comprising a body,

concealed parallel contact blades carried in the body, a part of each-blade bent over and away. from the blade to form an integral pron part thus aflording upstanding parallel ack blades, an upstanding sheet insulation spacer placed between eachupstanding prong in the same plane as the prongs, and a hook-like extension made on: the spacer dis-- v posed between the concealed parallel contact blades and hooking around one ofthe concealed parallel contact blades.

5. A plug connecter comprising a body of molded insulation longitudinally split'forming two body sections, which sections are made hollow with plug-inchannels extending outwardlyv through each end of the body sections,- a longitudinal rib made centrally of the body sections separating the hollow portin c and n'mo-in channels. a rib made trans- 

